Leadership Lessons That Only Experience Teaches | John Gualtieri (Managing Director, Officeworks Australia)

In this episode of Business & Beyond, Sanjay Chari speaks with John Gualtieri, Managing Director of Officeworks Australia, about leadership, authenticity, and navigating change at scale.​

John shares reflections from a long career in retail, from his early days on the shop floor to leading major transformations. He shares lessons shaped over time — often learned by getting things wrong first — and how those experiences influenced the way he leads today.​

The conversation explores ​

1. why simplifying choices builds trust​
2. the importance of genuinely listening to frontline teams and acting on what you hear​
3. how leaders can stay effective even when they don’t have all the answers​

A thoughtful discussion on leadership shaped by experience, and what really matters over the long run.​

BCG maintains a professional relationship with the company represented by this episode’s guest.​

​Chapters:

00:00 Why diversity of thought really matters​

00:26 Introducing John Gualtieri​

01:00 Growing up, family, and early influences​

04:31 First steps into retail​

06:46 Early leadership roles and career choices​

11:56 Joining Kmart and the journey of transformation​

14:23 Simplifying complexity to rebuild customer trust​

19:13 Big decisions and the Kmart turnaround​

20:05 Leadership lessons: the power of listening ​

26:43 Throwing out the script during COVID​

28:31 Leading Officeworks today​

30:08 The pace of change in modern retail​

32:58 Future opportunities: Tech, B2B​

37:36 Purpose beyond profit​

39:03 Staying grounded as a leader